Campari, take four

I think it’s fair to say cocktails, of the classic variety at least, are something of an acquired taste. Many of my friends have a passing interest in mixed drinks but are more used to the sugary concoctions chain-pubs serve, and when presented with something like a Martini or Manhattan they tend to wince, unable to taste beyond the alcohol. Of course once your palate is adjusted to such libations, a whole new world is unlocked, but for many getting over that initial learning curve is just too difficult.

Personally, as I’m sure you can tell, I’ve had no such trouble, and happily enjoy most liquors both in cocktails and alone. However, there is one spirit which I’ve never quite managed to muster much fondness for – Campari. I’ve tried it in a number of different cocktails but the heavy bitterness has always been too much for me. I guess it’s my sweet tooth – I’m a sucker for sweets, chocolate and anything loaded with sugar, and Campari is the very antithesis of this.

However, I’m not one to give up easily. It’s been a while since I last looked at Campari here, but I have had the odd Union Club since then and thought it was probably time to give it another go…

Stir all ingredients with ice and strain in to a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon or orange zest twist.

The Boulevardier comes courtesy of Craig’s recent post, who in turn took it from Ted “Dr Cocktail” Haigh’s column in Imbibe. The original recipe called for a 3:2:2 ratio, but upon trying that I found the Campari a little too dominant. However, upping the Bourbon to a 2:1:1 ratio, and using a nice spicy Bourbon like Buffalo Trace, made the drink more to my liking. Paul even swapped in rye, which I have yet to do but sounds tasty.

The increased Bourbon moves it from an afterthought to the headliner, with the drink kicking off with a nice dose of bourbon, and an almost sweet taste with some aromatics in the background. However, it doesn’t take long for the Campari to show up, with a bitter hit that develops as the drink progresses. The lemon zest also blossoms towards the end, resulting in a complex, evolving finish. Overall, a pretty good cocktail, and certainly the most appealing Campari-based drink I have tried yet.

Stir all ingredients with ice and strain in to an ice-filled old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange zest twist.

It’s probably a year since I made my first and only Negroni, and while I did finish the drink it certainly wasn’t the most enjoyable cocktail I had tried. However, after the success of the Boulevardier I decided it was perhaps time to take another look at what is perhaps the most famous Campari cocktail. Legend has it the drink was invented in 1919 when Count Negroni requested gin instead of soda water in his Americano. The drink doesn’t turn up in cocktail guides until the fifties, which casts some doubt over that story, but whatever the truth it is without doubt a true classic.

My memories of the Negroni centre mainly on the extremely bitter flavour the drink had. I was pleasantly startled then, when the taste that greeted me this time around was an orangey sweetness, with a slight floral quality. There were also plenty of gin notes, no doubt helped by the fact I used Tanqueray, a nice strong traditional gin. Like the Boulevardier it didn’t take long for the bitterness of the Campari to come through, but this time it really seemed to work, blending perfectly with the other flavours in the drink. Much to my surprise, and delight, I found myself really enjoying the Negroni.

46 responses to “Campari, take four”

i have to confess i’ve never tried campari at this point, but i just started playing with a bottle of aperol, and really enjoy an “aperol negroni.” can’t believe no one has named that variation yet (at least that i’ve found).

I don’t know which sweet vermouth you have been using but IMHO Campari goes best with Antica Formula. I think it takes off some of the bitter edges and intertwines better than all other sweet vermouths.
If you like tequila you might also want to try your Negroni substituting the gin for a 100% Blanco Tequila and rounding it off with a grapefruit twist. Good stuff.

Jay, now that you are starting to come around to Campari you should try the drink below. It is actually a slight modification I made to a drink I saw over at Cocktail Chronicles. The drink had originally called for Aperol instead of Campari, so I changed the ratios slightly to account for the increased bitterness. I think it makes for a really great drink, especially with Spring around the corner; floral but with a refreshing bite. Paul didn’t give his version a name so I started calling mine the Bitter Elder. So far, everyone who has tried it loves it and many weren’t all that used to liquor.

Jay, I recommend Paul Harrington’s Jasmine. It brings Campari and gin into a drink that tastes remarkably like grapefruit juice, but somehow more ethereal.

I swear I once had a bottle of Campari on which the back label said something almost romantic about the necessity of tasting Campari three times before one can appreciate it. Perhaps your bottle threatens this too?

I have tried the Jasmine before, but not being a massive fan of grapefruit I never really found it that appealing.

I am just sipping on Gonçalo’s “Comte de Sureau” as I write this, and I’m quite impressed. The St Germain is maybe a little heavy but the elderflower and orange work together wonderfully, and the Campari lends a subtle undertone that works well. It’s also a lovely pinky hue – I may have to cover this in a post just so I can take a photo of it!

I will have to try Ameture Hour’s version to see what the lemon brings to the drink…

I’ve always had campari as a simple Bicicletta made with Dry Prosecco and Campari. I know it’s not fancy, but I enjoy it. BTW – thank you for the Lillet recipes! It’s wonderful to have an alternative to Vermouth (I can’t drink vermouth without getting horribly sick – but Lillet doesn’t do that to me.) The HoopLa is great. Thanks.

For me, Campari has been a lifelong passion. First introduced to Campari with Orange Juice (helps for those who like a bit more sweetness to their drink), to eventually drinking Campari with a bit of soda (very refreshing). But I really enjoy Campari in mixed cocktails. In particular I like to create a Manhattan but substitute the sweet vermouth for Campari and just a teaspoon of Maraschino Cherry juice. Another favorite (I call it My Special) is equal parts of Campari, Bourbon (a good quality such as Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek or Woodford Reserve) and Gin (also a quality brand) shaken and served in a martini glass. The flavors go so well together, no individual alcohol overpowering the other. If you especially like bourbon or gin or Campari, simply change the proportions, but equal is still my favorite.

Your Special is close to one of mine.
The first is Campari+Bourbon+lemon twist. The second is more odd, its Campari+ JWray overproof+limejuice.
The rest is Campari on the rocks with a orange, and negroni and etc..I also have a life long relationship with Campari and don`t want to be without it.

It is made with equal parts of gin, campari and sweet vermouth. Serve in an old fashioned glass over ice and garnished with an orange slice. It is considered an apéritif, or a pre-dinner cocktail intended to stimulate the appetite.

It was invented by General Pascal Olivier Count de Negroni, Here is his brief bio:
(Born: Castle of San Colombano 4 April 1829- Died: Alencon, Orne, 22 October 1913).
Pascal joined the French Army at 18 years of age and retired as a Brigadier General after a long illustrious career spanning 44 years. He is best remembered in the French Army annals for leading the legendary charge of cuirassiers in the Battle of Reichsoffen during the Franco Prussian War of 1870. As a reward for his valiant actions and exemplary conduct he was personally decorated on 20 August 1870 by the French Emperor, Louis Napoleon, with the Officer’s Cross of the Imperial Legion of Honor. On 3 September 1870 he was captured by the Prussians during the Battle of Sedan and spent time as a prisoner of war until his liberation 28 March 1871. On 27 December 1884 he was promoted to Brigadier General and on 4 May 1889 he was named Commander of the Legion of Honor. In 1891 he retired to his Chateau de Rochefeuille, near Mayenne, Mayenne. Pascal Olivier was the reputed inventor of the famous “Negroni Cocktail” (equal parts of Campari, Gin, and Sweet Vermouth, served in a short glass over ice and garnished with an orange slice).

I’ve also heard the line about trying Campari three times before you eventually come around to it, and silly as it sounds, I think there’s something to that. The first time I tasted Campari (by itself, and then in a Negroni) I thought it was terrible. But I gave it another shot (so to speak) a few days later and was suprised to find that I didn’t recoil from the glass. The herbal and citrus notes were clearer and the bitterness wasn’t as pronounced, just another dimension of flavor. The human palate isn’t geared to enjoy bitter flavors as much as sweet, salty, and sour ones, so you pretty much have to acclimate your tastebuds to them. Campari is definitely an acquired taste, but I love the possibilities its flavor profile presents in terms of mixing. A splash of Campari can be just the thing to give a citrus cocktail or highball a little more zip, and it’s a natural partner for vermouths and herbal liquors like gin.

This is for all of you, to answer the question about changing names. On July 17, 1793 my family was declared traitors to the French revolution as we where at the service of King Louis XVI as the Corsica Black Night(Negroni) and executioners of the realm. So yes we had a few name changes and hid until the Corsica Napoleon became Emperor of France. There are two movies lossely based on our family; The Corsica Brothers in 1941 with Douglas
Fairbanks, Jr, and more recently “Start The Revolution Without Me” with Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland. Yes, changing name was a matter of survival!

Yes, I have the same info on Gaspare as my father’s middle name came from the same without the e (Gaspar). For me I have to have had a few drinks before I have the guts to drink some Negroni or Campari on ice…………….LOL

just browsing the web on a Sat morning and came across this site. i’m slightly obsessed with Campari at the moment. i happen to like the bitterness although i’ve never had it straight. my favorite drink of the moment:

1 shot of Campari
1 shot of Tanqueray Rangpur
juice from one lime

the great thing about it is that it takes you through the sour, sweet and bitter tastes in the first sip. damn…now i’m getting thristy…only 6 minutes until noon…

A classic Negroni is indeed too intense. To me the trick is to combine the best features on the Negroni and the Americano. In other words, serve the standard Negroni ingredients (equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari) over ice and add some soda, seltzer, or sparkling water. This allows you to enjoy the flavors of the ingredients without being overwhelmed.

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Caboorco, I call it, see if you can unravel the mystery of that name . Materials:
- 1/2 part CAmpari
- 1 part BOurbon (Maker’s Mark for taste and strength)
- squeeze of ORange juice, and half a slice in
- dash of COca-Cola
Method: stir Campari and the bourbon together, pour over ice in an old fashioned glass, drop in the orange juice squeeze and the slice, add a dash of coke, stir again.

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